Qatar Airways has been named the world's best airline for 2024 by AirlineRatings.com, taking over the top spot from Air New Zealand which held it last year.
Aotearoa's national carrier slipped to fourth place in this year's rankings, also coming in behind Korean Air and Cathay Pacific.
Air NZ was still recognised as having the best economy class in the world, however.
"In our objective analysis Qatar Airways came out number one in many key areas although it was a very close scoring for the top 10," said AirlineRatings.com editor-in-chief Geoffrey Thomas.
"The passenger reviews however scored Qatar Airways ahead of all airlines and its consistency and high standard of service delivery came through in the feedback."
AirlineRatings.com is an Australia-based aviation safety and product rating agency. Its annual Airline Excellence Awards are judged by five editors who combine major safety and government audits with 12 key criteria including fleet age, passenger reviews, profitability, safety rating, product rating, innovation and forward fleet orders.
Air NZ has fared much better in recent AirlineRatings.com awards than it has in those from Skytrax, in which the national carrier came 19th last year. That organisation's 2024 awards will be announced in late June.
Other notable AirlineRatings.com's 2024 Airline Excellence Awards winners:
- Qatar Airways: best business class and best catering
- Emirates: best premium economy and best-in-flight entertainment
- Air New Zealand: best long-haul (Australia/Pacific region)
- Singapore Airlines: best first class
- Virgin Australia: best cabin crew
- Qantas: best lounges
- Etihad Airways: best environmental airline
- Jetstar: best low-cost airline (Australia/Pacific region).
AirlineRatings.com top 25 premium airlines in 2024 are as follows:
- Qatar Airways
- Korean Air
- Cathay Pacific Airways
- Air New Zealand
- Emirates
- Air France / KLM
- All Nippon Airways
- Etihad Airways
- Qantas
- Virgin Australia / Atlantic
- Vietnam Airlines
- Singapore Airlines
- EVA Air
- TAP Portugal
- Japan Airlines
- Finnair
- Hawaiian
- Alaska Airlines
- Lufthansa / Swiss
- Turkish Airlines
- IGA Group (British Airways & Iberia)
- Air Canada
- Delta Air Lines
- United Airlines
- American Airlines.
